Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-30

over our fright and in examining the grisly
wonders of the place, Gagool had been diff
ferently occupied. Somehow or other-for
she was InaTvelously active when she chose
she scrambled on to the great table, and
made her way to where our departed friend
Twala was placed under the drip, to see,
suggested Good how he was ''pickling," or
for some dark purpose of her own. Then
she came hobbling back, stopping now and
again to address a remark the tenor of
which could not catch) to one OF other of
the shrouded forms, Jast as you or L might
greet an OH acquaintance. Having gone
| through this mysterious and horrible cefemo-
| nt she squatted herself down on the table
| Immediately under the white Death, and be-
| gan 50 far as | could make out. tn offer mp
| PRAYERS to it. The spectacle of this wicked
| old creature pouring out supplIcations (evll
! ores. no doubt to the arch-enpmy OF man
kind, was so uncanny that it causea us to
hasten our Inspection. "Now Gagool, said
| |. in a low voice-somehow one did not dare
| to speak above a whisper in that place
'slead rs to the chamber
| The old creature promptly scrambled
down off the table.
INV lords are not afraid?' she said leer-
ing up into my face.
Lead on"
sGood, my lords;' and she hobbled round
| to the back of the great Death Here is
the chamber; let my lords light the lamp.
| and enter" and she placed the gourd full of
| oil upon the floor, and leaned herself against
| the side OF the cave. / took out nEttcn, OF
which we still had a few i'll box, and lit
the rush wick AMI then looked for the door
the solid rock Gagool grinne.I. The way
is there, my lords.
do not jest with us" | said sternly.
Il st not, my lords. Seer and she
pointed at the rock.
AS she did So on holding up the lamp we
perceived that mass of stone was slowly
rising from the floor and vanishing into the
rock above where doubtless there was a
cavity prepared to receive IT. The mass was
| of the width of good listed door, about ten
feet high and not less than five feet thick.
1t must have weighed at least twenty or
thirty tons, and was clearly moved upon
some simple balance principle, probably the
same as that upon which the opening and
shutting of an ordinary modern window is
arranged. How the principle was set in mo.
ton, of course none Of us saw; Gagool was
that there was some very simple lever, which
was moved ever so little by pressure on a
secret spot, thereby throwing additional
weight on to the hidden counterbalances
and causing the whole huge mass to be lifted
from the ground. Very slowly and gently
the great stone raised itself, till at last it had
vanished altogether, and dark hole pre-
sentad itself to us in the place which it had
filed
| Enter white men from the stars" saG
Gagool, advancing into the doorway; ''bu
nrsr near your servant, Ga2ool the OLD. Ine
bright stones that We will see were dug out
of the pit over which the Silent Ones are set
| and stored here [ know not by whom. But
once has this place been entered since the
time that those who stored the stones de
parted in haste, leaving them behind. The
report of the treasure went down among the
people who lived in the country from age &c
age, but none knew where the chamber was
nor the secret of the door. But it happened
that white man reached this country from
over the mountains, perchance he. zoo, came
from the stars, and was well received by the
King OF the day. He it is who sits yOnder,
and she pointed to the fifth king at the table
OF the dead. And it came to pass that he
and a woman of the country who was with
llin came 10 IllS place, anu tilat ny cnallct
, the woman learned the secret OF the door-a
thousand years might We search, but ye
should never find it. Then the white man
entered with the woman. and found the
stones, and filled with stones the skin of a
small goat which the woman had with her
to hold food And as he was going from
the chamber he took up one more stone a
large one, and held it to his head" Here
she paused,
well" / asked, GREATNESS with interest
as we all were, what happened to Da Sill
vestra?'
The old hag started st the mention Of the
/, name.